By Liz Moomey
liz.moomey@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Cabarrus Rowan Community Health Centers last week was awarded a $650,000 grant by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to expand in Rowan County.

Through the New Access Point grant, the health centers will be able to build capacity and serve more patients, a news release said. The centers will co-locate the site with Daymark Recovery Services on Statesville Boulevard.

In March, U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, R-8, wrote a letter to the Health Resources and Services Administration in support to the NAP funding for a new location of the agency.

“Cabarrus Rowan Community Health Centers has worked in partnership to meet local needs, and their role in particular has improved the health of community residents through ongoing primary care, preventive screenings, health education, and promotion of healthy lifestyle choices,” Hudson said.

The collaboration with Daymark Recovery Services, a nonprofit organization that provides behavioral health and substance use disorder services, will allow the two organizations to decrease barriers to care, including access and transportation, a news release said..

“We are very fortunate to have the support of HRSA and DayMark,” health centers CEO Don Holloman said in a news release. “Through this funding and partnership, I am confident that we will continue to positively serve our clients through our mission of improving community health and well-being for the citizens of Cabarrus and Rowan counties, one patient at a time.”

The centers serve more than 9,000 clients annually by providing primary care and behavioral health services, without regard for a patient’s ability to pay, and serves as a community resource for eliminating health disparities.

“Our community health centers play a vital role in providing high-quality, affordable care,” Hudson said. “This grant will ensure that Cabarrus Rowan Community Health Centers can continue providing top-notch patient care while expanding access for families.”

The agency was one of four in the state to receive a grant. Blue Ridge Community Health Services in Hendersonville, C.W. Williams Community Health Center in Charlotte and Caswell Family Medical Center in Yanceyville were awarded $650,000 each.

“HHS aims to help provide all Americans with access to quality health care and, ultimately, improve their health. Community health centers play a vital role in that mission and in the Trump administration’s vision for health care,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “Opening new community health centers and creating additional sites of care is a vital way to help expand access to care and improve the health of the nation’s underserved communities, both rural and urban.”